It's no secret that Volkswagen plans to kill off the Passat and replace it with a larger, purpose-built-for-Americans midsize sedan codenamed, in a fit of startling creativity, the New Midsize Sedan, or NMS. But what the NMS will look like has been left to little more than monochrome watercolors and line-art sketches so far.

That is, until Brazilian designer Irmao do Decio put mouse to pixel and came up with this rendering. Of course, it's completely unofficial and theoretical, but his methods are sound enough to give us an idea of what may be in the works.

Building on the base of the latest official sketch, do Decio then took inspiration from the Audi A4 and wrapped the new Volkswagen corporate face around the whole package.

The only things we'd quibble with are the greenhouse, which though decidedly concept-like in the sketch, still comes off a bit too upright--and perhaps a bit too Audi--in the final rendering; and the side treatment, which puts the character line a good bit higher than the drawing does. Aside from those two features, however, it's a fair treatment.